Charlotte NC

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor released a preliminary audit report showing that the Charlotte Area Transit System, or CATS, had cut back its security force by 40% in the years leading up to the August 2025 murder of Iryna Zarutska on the city’s light rail system.

Morning 3 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day. Check out those stories, and more, below. 3 overnight shootings in Charlotte leave 3 people badly hurt. Two of the shootings happened within a mile of each other. More in this story.

City leaders held a press conference Wednesday to discuss initiatives being carried out by the Center City Public Safety Task Force, implemented in late July to address concerns about crime and safety in Uptown. The group is composed of leaders in business, local government, health care, CMPD and the nonprofit...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte leaders say they’re taking more steps to help residents feel safe, specifically in Uptown. CMPD announced the “Crown Initiative” on Wednesday afternoon, a plan to essentially clean up the Central Business District by increasing the visibility of police. That increased...

"They are a threatened species." Homeowner captures photo of unexpected visitor in yard: 'Haven't seen one in long time' first appeared on The Cool Down .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — An east Charlotte homeowner said he’s fed up with the gunfire he says surrounds his home on a near-weekly basis. This week, his house was hit by a bullet. The man lives in Country Club Heights, not far from an apartment complex, which he claimed is part of the […]

A former teacher from Huntersville who was sentenced to prison for raping a 15-year-old girl was killed while in prison.

The Baltimore Police Department says they’re looking for a wanted murder suspect after jail records in Mecklenburg County show he was released from custody this week.

A Charlotte coin maker has put $25,000 of gold coins up for grabs. The treasure? As first reported by Tiny Money , a mason jar is already hidden somewhere on the forest floor in the Blue Ridge Mountains, just off a public hiking trail. Adam Howell, owner of The Achieve Mint and the mastermind behind this hunt, kicked...

A Home For All is launching a new pilot program, called Wellness Without Walls, that will bring psychiatric teams to the streets of Charlotte to help people experiencing homelessness.